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View Full Version : Installing a ceiling fan on 2 wires?


hutton
May 15, 2010, 07:53 AM
I want to install a ceiling fan but be able to control the light from a separate switch. The current light is wired with only 2 wires + ground. What I was thinking is: at the box in the ceiling could I pigtail the hot(black) into two, one can wire to the switch for the light and the othe to wire the fan. I relise that this will mean the fan is directly wired with no switch except the pull chain and the remote. Is this OK?? I don't see any issues with it, but just thought I would check.

Missouri Bound
May 15, 2010, 09:31 AM
If I am understanding you correctly, then yes it is OK. Are you running in conduit or with cable? There needs to be some means of grounding whether it be metallic conduit or 2 wire cable with ground for the switch leg.

hkstroud
May 16, 2010, 05:50 AM
Depends on how ceiling box is wired. If constant power is provided to the ceiling (two cables in ceiling) with a switch leg to the switch, the connect hot black to fan black and to white of switch leg. Connect blue of light to black of switch leg. Connect neutral to fan/light neutral.

If power is being provided to switch (one cable in ceiling) you cannot do what you want. The fan will have no power when switch is off. That means fan will work only when light is on. Have to use remote controls.

hutton
May 16, 2010, 09:34 AM
Yes, the box in the ceiling is 2 wire with a ground and it goes to a switch leg. What I want to do is add a pigtail to where the hot and the switch leg is connected. SO power goes to the switch for the light abd I will connect the fan to the hot pigtail.

hkstroud
May 16, 2010, 01:12 PM
..

hutton
May 16, 2010, 04:30 PM
Thanks Harold, that is exactly what I was thinking of doing, I just wanted to know if there were any issues with it. Thanks for the help. I love this site.

ceilingfanrepair
May 17, 2010, 10:50 AM
Does the fan have a remote? You mentioned a remote.

http://www.ceiling-fans-n-more.com/ceiling-fan-wiring.php

hutton
May 17, 2010, 04:49 PM
Yes there is a remote. I want to have the fan one the remote but not the light so I will not wire the light (blue) to the receiver, it will go straight to the hot coming from the switch. I will spliit the hot in the ceiling box (2 pigtails) one connected to the switch leg and one connected to the remote receiver and the fan. Does this sound coorect?

ceilingfanrepair
May 18, 2010, 12:14 PM
You wouldn't need pigtails. Just connect the receiver hot, the supply hot, and one lead from the switch loop together. The blue from the fan/light connects to the other wire from the switch loop. Then the white from the receiver and the white from the supply connect.

Why not just have the light and fan both controlled from the remote?

hutton
May 20, 2010, 08:54 PM
It is just easier the use the wall switch for the light, as you come into the room the switch is right there (it's the bedroom).